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NOLAN N43E - THUNDER217 DC
Recommended by Reviewer: Yes
Pros: This is the most versitle helmet on the market to date. This helmet can be an open face, full face, with or without the visor.
Cons: You may want to go up a size when ordering. The helmet does run a little small.
This is a great helmet. It changes into many different styles which make it great. The different styles are accomplished easily and quickly.
Perfect multi-use helmet - Malcomhawk CO
Recommended by Reviewer: Yes
Pros: Comfortable fit, many wear options, field of vision, quality of materials, convenience of chin latch, anti-fog pinlock visor
Cons: None that I can find
I bought a pair of these for my wife and I because we both wear the same size. I started with one and we tried it on, swapped the modular options around, re-tried it, made more changes and continued to retry it until we were comfortable with all the ways it can be worn. Colorado has varying weather patterns over really short differences and we needed a helmet that could do multiple jobs touring, off-road, hot weather, cold weather, etc. This one does it all in great comfort. As long as you are comfortable with the helmet shape a little round, I don't think there is a better deal out there. My wife settled on a fit without the chin bar I like the chin bar with the mesh underneath to cut the wind noise.
Great multi use helmet - LEM, CA CA
Recommended by Reviewer: Yes
Pros: Looks good and is very functional.
Cons: Noisy at highway speeds.
This helmet was recommended to me by friends who wear them. I ordered my wife and I matching helmets. Compacc shipped them very promptly. I ordered my wife's helmet based on her head measurement. It fit perfectly. I tried a large on at a local motorcycle shop, and it fit good. I ordered a large, and when I received it, it felt too big. I measured my head size and ordered a medium based on the sizing chart. It fit perfectly. When I returned the large helmet, Compacc refunded me within two days, without any hassle. The only con I have found is the N43e to be noisy at highway speed. I would definitely recommend wearing hearing protection for long rides. The multi-position face shield is great when traveling at slow speeds in warm weather or when stopped at stop lights. I'm very pleased with the helmet and have recommended it to other friends.
Great open face helmet - VinnyF
Recommended by Reviewer: Yes
Pros: much quieter and more options than previous N42
Cons: only 2 shield postions - closed and full open
I've never quite come to terms with a full face helmet - always a little claustrophobic for me. I've tried a number of open face helmets, most recently the N42, precursor to this unit. Nice, comfortable helmet, but VERY noisy - for me, unusable without some sort of ear protection. The N43 helmet maintains the style and build of the previous unit, but the chin protection seals the lower edge to greatly reduce the wind noise, and moving the tinted eye shade from exterior to behind the shield eliminates most of the assorted whistles of the N42. Long distance riders should still opt for hearing protection, but for local use many riders might find the noise level acceptable sans ear plugs.The strap on these helmets is notable for eschewing the usual D ring fastening, opting instead for a fastener similar to a seat belt - much easier to fasten and unfasten when the weather gets seriously cold. One minor disadvantage of this system is it makes locking the helmet to a bike difficult, since there is no D ring.The shape of these helmets is a little rounder than the usual Shoei - the chin protector on an XL Nolan almost touches my chin, whereas the Shoei in the same size provides significantly more chin room - my guess is Jay Leno wouldn't find this helmet comfortable.A number of reviews faulted the earlier N42 sunshade for not allowing the pilot to look thru the tinted shield - Nolan has significantly enlarged the tinted shield on these helmets. This is a mixed blessing, IMO it certainly LOOKS cool, but I believe their original concept of just providing shade rather than a layer of tint to actually look thru was better. Peering thru multiple layers of plastic significantly blurs the view compared to a single layer. Of course, you can adjust the tinted shade so as not to look THRU it, but UNDER it. However, this is a little distracting as the current shade has a contoured lower edge providing an interesting view if half-lowered.One change that made no sense whatsoever to me was the elimination of intermediate stops for the face shield - the older helmet had several positions that the face shield would stay in, providing a little defogging when stuck in traffic. The N43 provides only 2 positions - fully open or fully closed. No matter how good the ventilation when moving - and this helmet has a pretty good vent system - after a few seconds stopped for traffic in cold weather the shield develops a fairly attractive but totally useless fog. In a move that probably voids every safety certification and warranty, I found that about 15 minutes work with a rotary tool and minimal skill will allow one to add an additional stop to the face shield spring, giving an additional fixed position of about 1 open, minimizing fogging under some conditions. Note that neither I, nor Compacc, nor Nolan, nor my heirs, relatives, friends friend, neighbors etc., recommend modification of the helmet, and any modifications may well cause injury, death, dandruff or worse.Overall, I've found the Nolan N43E helmets to be well made, well finished and comfortable. They are a great buy. IMO, of course...
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